Saturday, November 24, 2012

Commonwealth Games: Ducati Diavel Turbo is ready to play

A 236bhp turbo Diavel should be just the thing for a relaxed, lazy weekend...

Based in Louisville, Kentucky, in the US, Commonwealth Motorcycles have built something that nobody else in the world has – a turbocharged Ducati Diavel. With 162bhp and 127Nm of torque from its 1198cc ‘Testastretta’ L-Twin, it’s not like the stock Diavel really needs a turbo. So, why build one? ‘The folks at Commonwealth motorcycles wanted a winter project and, well, wouldn’t the Diavel be better with a turbocharger?’ says Chad Wells, service manager at Commonwealth. ‘And another reason to do a turbocharger conversion on the Diavel is because, to date, nobody else has,’ he adds.

‘I think the Diavel’s styling is gorgeous, the design and overall appearance for a sport cruiser is superb. The classic Ducati single-sided swingarm, machined wheels, matching machined rotors, etc. With the mufflers gone, we were able to open up the whole right hand side of the bike. You see the beefy swingarm and all of the killer-looking wheel now. It just showcases what Ducati had hidden behind humdrum mufflers,’ says Chad, talking about the turbocharged Diavel that Commonwealth have built.

With a Garret GT2860R turbo bolted on and running 8lb of boost, the Commonwealth turbo Diavel now packs 236 horsepower at 10,000rpm (measured at the rear wheel!) and 127Nm of torque at 8,000 revs. ‘We had been selling a few Diavels at the dealership and when I rode the bike, I fell in love, but I felt like there was something missing. With a long wheelbase and a big fat rear tyre, the Diavel is probably uniquely suited to handling even more power than the stock Testastretta engine kicks out since, unlike most other performance cruiser options, it has highly specialized suspension, wheels and brakes straight from the factory,’ says Chad. ‘I planned on being first one in the world to do this, and it looks like I am. I hope Ducati enthusiasts will enjoy it and be excited to see the finished product. I don’t think we will develop or sell kits, but you never know,’ he adds.

2 comments:

You say 'no one else in the world' has built a turbo diavel... Except they have ... BigCC Racing have already done exactly that so Chad Wells was beaten to the "First Diavel Turbo in the world" title by Sean Mills BigCC Racing Berkshire England